Chapter 14
Early the next morning.
Carter Group.
“Are these flowers for Ms. Kimberly Martinez? Can I leave them here?”
Sarah Taylor at the front desk accepted the bouquet from the courier.
“Yes, I’ll pass them to her.”
“Thank you. Please sign here.”
William had just arrived at the company. As he passed the front desk, his footsteps suddenly stopped.
He glanced blandly at the courier walking away, then his gaze landed on the card tucked inside the bouquet.
Sarah noticed him and greeted him with a nod.
“Good morning, Mr. Carter.”
William walked slowly to the counter and took the flowers from her hands without a change in expression.
He scanned the words on the card, then threw the flowers straight into the nearby trash can.
Sarah did not dare breathe. She stared blankly as he walked away.
Gwen Powell leaned over and whispered, “What was that about?”
Sarah looked around, then whispered near her ear, “I think he got jealous because Kimberly Martinez received flowers.”
She jerked her chin toward the side.
“There were three bouquets this morning, all for employees on our floor. He didn’t throw the others away.”
Gwen’s face lit with gossip.
“Seriously? People said those two had something going on. Looks like it wasn’t just smoke.”
“Exactly. A fiancée and a mistress. This is going to be fun.”
Gwen frowned, then continued, “But yesterday in the coffee room, I heard Mr. Carter made Kimberly apologize to his fiancée. The flower thing just now makes no sense.”
Sarah shook her head.
“Who knows? Mr. Carter’s personality is strange anyway. Maybe he wants both, and Kimberly Martinez is throwing a temper...”
“Sarah, Sarah, someone’s coming. Lunch break. We’ll talk later.”
People were filing through the entrance one after another, so the two quickly put away the gossip and returned to work.
Kimberly had just sat down at her desk when she received a message.
[Do you like the white roses I sent you?]
Kimberly looked at the friend request from a black profile picture. The username was MR.LU.
Sam?
Why had he sent her flowers? Sent them where?
Thinking that she might need to jump ship to Evans Group in the future, Kimberly quickly accepted the friend request and replied directly.
[I didn’t receive any flowers.]
After a while, Sam replied.
[8:10. Front desk signed for them.]
Kimberly frowned. She did not want his flowers.
But when the front desk received items for employees, they always notified the person or delivered them directly to the desk.
It was already eight-thirty, and the front desk had not mentioned any flowers.
Kimberly hesitated, then walked to reception.
“Sarah, are there flowers for me?”
Sarah looked embarrassed.
“Maybe... you should ask Mr. Carter?”
Kimberly read the please-don’t-make-this-my-problem expression on her face and asked no more.
As she turned back, she saw a bouquet of white roses sitting on a cleaning cart not far away.
Kimberly walked over. There was no card inside.
“Ma’am, who threw these flowers away?”
The cleaning lady pushed the cart and muttered as she went, “No idea. I found them in the front desk trash can. Such nice flowers, tossed just like that. Young people these days, wasting money.”
Kimberly guessed the rough answer. She returned to the front desk.
“Sarah, did Mr. Carter throw my flowers into the trash?”
Sarah’s face turned pained.
“You guessed that yourself. I didn’t say anything.”
Kimberly froze for a second.
William had such a childish side?
Seeing the unease in Sarah’s eyes, Kimberly smiled lightly to soothe her.
“All right. I won’t make things difficult for you. Go on.”
“Thank you!”
Kimberly returned to her desk and replied to Sam.
[Thank you, Mr. Evans. The flowers were beautiful, but please don’t send them again. It’s inappropriate.]
[What? Afraid William will see?]
Kimberly frowned.
Right now, she felt she did not understand William. She understood Sam even less.
But she absolutely could not jump from here to another lunatic.
Kimberly replied directly.
[If Mr. Evans has other intentions toward me, then let’s forget the job offer. If you value my work ability, please maintain the proper distance.]
Sam: [Ms. Martinez, you’re overthinking. I have someone I love. He threw away your flowers, didn’t he? If you want to resign as soon as possible, don’t worry about what I do.]
Kimberly was completely confused.
Sam probably did not know that acting like this would only anger William and make him refuse to let her go even more.
Her pale fingers moved across the screen.
[I’ll find a way to handle the resignation myself. Mr. Evans, this will only backfire.]
After sending the message, Kimberly turned off her phone screen and began organizing documents for the nine o’clock meeting.
Just then, the landline on her desk rang.
She picked up the receiver, and William’s cool voice came through.
“Where’s my coffee?”
Kimberly closed her eyes. “Yesterday, Ms. Campbell said she’d handle your coffee from now on.”
“Her hand is injured. It’s inconvenient.”
A cold smile pulled at Kimberly’s lips, but her voice stayed soft.
“Understood.”
After hanging up, Kimberly was about to stand when a thought suddenly struck her.
She quickly found her resignation letter and tucked it among the documents that needed William’s signature.
A few minutes later, Kimberly entered his office with a folder in her arms and a tray in her hands.
She placed the coffee gently in front of him and said, “Mr. Carter, these documents need your signature. Also, I’d like to ask for leave.”
William took a pen from the holder.
“What for?”
Kimberly answered mildly, “A friend is giving birth.”
William’s hand paused just before signing. He lifted his eyes and looked her over.
“Is the baby yours?”
Kimberly said nothing.
William lowered his gaze and continued signing. Kimberly also watched the documents and hurried forward to help turn the pages attentively.
Seeing that he was about to reach her resignation letter, she hissed softly.
William looked up and frowned. “Your foot hurts?”
“Mm...”
Kimberly used the opportunity to fold the papers over, deliberately covering the contents of the resignation letter and leaving only a blank area exposed.
“Keep signing. I’m fine.”
William lowered his head again and signed his name across the page.
Kimberly’s heartbeat sped up a little. She eagerly turned to the next page.
William signed again, and only then did Kimberly let out a breath.
But William was this easy to trick?
Usually, when he signed anything, no matter who brought it, he read clearly what it was.
He would never sign a blank page.
She distracted him once, and he simply signed?
